The campus buzzed with Lina's short but shocking interaction with Jackim. By evening, rumors had spread across every dorm, lecture hall, and WhatsApp group chat.
"Did you see Lina walking with him?"
"She never talks to anyone, not even Bryan!"
"Bro, Jackim's aura is unreal. Even Sandra looked shaken."
Jackim, however, was calm. He sat in his small dorm room, Kelvin sprawled on the other bed eating chips loudly.
"Man, you're officially untouchable," Kelvin said between mouthfuls. "You didn't just slap Bryan in front of everyone—you stole his girl's attention and got Lina to talk to you in the same day. That's double homicide, bro."
Jackim leaned back, gazing out the window at the moonlit campus. Inside, the System's hum reassured him. This wasn't luck. This was destiny now.
But just as he was about to drift into thought, his phone buzzed.
The name on the screen made his eyes narrow.
Sandra.
---
She had been waiting all day. Watching him from afar, regret gnawed deeper with every passing hour. Jackim's villa, his calm power, his casual destruction of Bryan's arrogance—it was all too much.
Once, she had been the center of his world. Once, he had begged her to stay, to believe in him. She had laughed then, dismissing his dreams. She had walked away into the arms of wealth.
Now, she couldn't breathe without wondering: Had I thrown away gold for glitter?
So she texted. Simple. Desperate.
"Jackim, can we talk? Please."
---
Kelvin nearly choked on his chips when he saw the message. "Bro… no way. NO WAY. She actually—"
Jackim's eyes remained unreadable. "She's fast."
The System's cold voice chimed suddenly.
[New Side Quest: Resist Sandra's advances.]
[Reward: $500,000 + Prestige Points.]
Jackim's lips curved into a cold smile. "Perfect."
---
Sandra chose the place carefully: a quiet corner near the old music hall, where streetlights glowed amber and shadows hid the world. She stood waiting, arms folded, designer dress hugging her figure, makeup flawless as ever. But her confidence was cracked.
When Jackim arrived, tall and composed in a simple black shirt and jeans, she almost faltered. He looked sharper than ever, every step radiating quiet strength.
"Jackim…" she began softly.
He didn't reply, only leaned against the railing, hands in his pockets.
Silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. Sandra bit her lip before blurting, "You've changed."
Jackim's gaze was steady. "People do."
Her voice trembled, though she tried to sound playful. "I didn't expect you to… rise like this. Back then, you were… nothing."
"And now?" His voice was low, edged with steel.
She stepped closer, perfume sweet in the cool air. "Now you're… impressive. The villa, the cars, the confidence. I can't stop thinking about it. About you."
Jackim's jaw tightened. "Sandra."
Her heart jumped.
"You left because I had nothing. You mocked me, remember? You told me love without money is useless."
Her face burned. "I was stupid. Blind. But I know better now. Bryan—he isn't the man I thought he was. He's arrogant, insecure. He doesn't have what you have."
Jackim chuckled coldly. "And what do I have?"
Her eyes glistened. "Power. Mystery. Future. Jackim, maybe… maybe we can start over?"
---
The silence after her words felt like an eternity. She waited, breath shallow, eyes pleading.
Jackim finally straightened, his tall frame casting a long shadow over her. His eyes locked onto hers—dark, sharp, merciless.
"You want to start over?" he asked quietly.
Her lips parted in hope. "Yes."
He leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper sharp as glass.
"Then go back to the beginning. When I begged you to stay. When I was broke, humiliated, desperate. Go back and choose me then. Otherwise… there is no start. Not now. Not ever."
Sandra froze, her chest tightening painfully.
Jackim's words cut deeper than any slap.
---
The System's voice chimed instantly:
[Side Quest Completed: Resist Sandra's Advances.]
[Reward Granted: $500,000 + 100 Prestige Points.]
A notification flashed across his vision:
[Current Balance: $1,500,000.]
Sandra didn't see the glow in his eyes, but she felt the wall he had built—colder than ice, taller than any mountain.
Tears welled up, ruining her perfect makeup. "Jackim… please. I made a mistake. I thought money was everything. But look at you—you proved me wrong. I see it now. I regret leaving you. I regret everything."
Jackim's face didn't soften. Not even slightly. "Regret is useless. It doesn't erase the past. And it doesn't buy the future."
Her knees almost buckled. She wanted to scream, to cling, to beg. But his calm, detached stare froze her in place.
"You chose Bryan. Stick with him. You're perfect for each other."
And with that, Jackim turned and walked away, leaving her trembling under the streetlights.
---
From the shadows, a pair of eyes gleamed.
Bryan's bodyguard had followed Sandra. He snapped a quick photo of her crying, alone, makeup streaked, then sent it to his boss.
Within minutes, Bryan's phone buzzed with the picture. His jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
"She went to him…" he hissed. "She dared—"
Rage burned hotter. Jackim had humiliated him in public, stolen Lina's attention, and now Sandra was begging him?
No. This wasn't just rivalry anymore. This was war.
---
Back in his dorm, Jackim sat calmly as the System's interface shimmered before him.
[Prestige Points: 100]
[Unlockable Store Options Available.]
With a thought, he opened the Prestige Store. Rows of glowing items appeared—skills, treasures, opportunities.
One in particular caught his eye:
"Advanced Martial Arts Lv. 3 – Cost: 100 Prestige Points."
Jackim smirked. "Perfect timing."
He tapped to unlock. A surge of heat exploded through his veins, his muscles tightening, reflexes sharpening. His body moved with new fluidity, power coursing through every fiber.
Kelvin, sprawled nearby, looked up lazily. "You're smiling again. Did you just level up or something?"
Jackim's smirk widened. "Something like that."
Outside, the storm clouds gathered.
Sandra was broken. Bryan was enraged. Lina was curious.
And Jackim?
He was only just beginning.